Apparatus for gathering and cutting rolled-wire coils

ABSTRACT

Successive overlapping coils of wire, e.g. from a wire-rolling mill, are displaced along a transport path past a cutting and collecting station provided with a collecting plate which can be tilted to cause the coils to ride up along this plate. The latter is provided with a gate which, when swung away by a fluidresponsive actuator, exposes a guide notch into which the wire tying the collected coils to the coils and the conveyor is received and severed. A stripper arrangement enables withdrawal of the plate and the discharge of the collected turns onto the conveyor.

United States Patent 1 Vortkamp [111 3,759,125 1 Sept. 18, 1973 APPARATUS FOR GATHERING AND CUTTING ROLLED-WIRE COlLS Inventor: Klaus Vortkamp, Neuss, Germany Assignee: Fried Krupp Gesellschatt mit beschrankter llaltung, Essen, Germany Filed: Feb. 22, 1972 Appl. No.: 228,123

Foreign Application Priority Data References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1969 McLean et a1 140/2 3,375,941 4/1968 Repper, Jr. 198/27 X Primary Examiner-Andrew R. .luhasz Assistant Examiner-W. D. Bray Attorney-Karl F. Ross [57] ABSTRACT Successive overlapping coils of wire, e.g. from a wirerolling mill, are displaced along a transport path past a cutting and collecting station provided with a collecting plate which can be tilted to cause the coils to ride up along this plate. The latter is provided with a gate which, when swung away by a fluid-responsive actuator, exposes a guide notch into which the wire tying the collected coils to the coils and the conveyor is received and severed. A stripper arrangement enables withdrawal of the plate and the discharge of the collected turns onto the conveyor.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 1 am:

SHEEI 1 0F 4 PATENTED SEP I 8 i973 SHEET 3 BF 4 PATENTED SEP 2 8 I973 saw u or 4 m GI FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for col- Iec ting, gathering or accumulating turns or coils of wire, especially rolled wire, and, more particularly, to an apparatus adapted to accumulate and sever a group of such coils or turns from the continuous output of a wire-rolling mill provided with coil-depositing means whereby successive turns are deposited upon a conveyor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the production of wire, especially rolled wire in wire-rolling mills, it is not uncommon to form a train of wire coils upon a conveyor or transport surface for displacement to a wire-cutting device, to a coil accumulator or collector, or to further processing stations (see commonly assigned application Ser. No. 196,962 filed Nov. 9, 1971 and US. Pat. Nos. 3,584,494 and 3,603,355). In general, a wire-rolling mill may be provided, after the last rolling stage, with a coil-forming apparatus adapted to spin the wire into individual turns, overlapping the previous turns, on a continuous conveyor or other transport surface, eg an endless belt. It is of interest to be able at least at some point in the processing of rolled wire, to gather these turns or coils into a bundle and to tie them, to separate the continuous train of turns into into sets of a predetermined number of turns corresponding to a predetermined length of wire, or otherwise to separate part of the continuous set of turns from the remainder.

In conventional apparatus the wire-cutting device operated for the most part with rotatable blades whose cutting speed was determined by the rolling speed, i.e. the output of the last rolling stage. The cutting edge was always inclined to the rolling direction and to the longitudinal direction of the rolled wire, so that sharp points or edges were produced at the cutting site. Moreover, the cutting device often had to be provided ahead of the coiling arrangement.

Other disadvantages of conventional cutting systems included reduction in speed of the rolled product, thereby creating a material backup, complex cutting mechanisms and systems which were prone to failure or malfunction. In fact, attempts to use conventional wirecutting arrangements with high-speed rolling stages have resulted in damage to the rolling mill and difficulties with respect to breaking of the wire strand behind the rolling mill. Considerable effort has gone into the development of a cutting arrangement which is of lower capital cost and can operate at the higher speed desired with modern roiling systems, to no avail. It should be noted also that conventional cutting arrangements often cause loss of material'which must be considered in determining the value of any cutting system. This material loss arises when the coils are to be gathered into a bundle for tying and the bundle is to be of some predetermined weight. Under these circumstances, it has been the practice to collect the indicated number of coils or turns, remove them from the transport path and cut the relatively long wire strand connecting the collected turns with the wire on the transport path. Part of this strand, because of excessive length is often lost.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for collecting and gathering coils of wire, especially as produced by a wire-rolling mill, and for severing the collected turns whereby the aforementioned disadvantages are avoided.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system whereby selected lengths of coiled wire can be separated from the remainder of a train of coils which can operate substantially independent of the rolling speed, introduces no delay in the rolling operation and is more effective yet simpler and less expensive than earlier apparatus for a similar purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the present invention, with an apparatus which provides a coilcollecting plate which is inclined to the transport surface or path anc can be selectively tilted into engagement with the leading edge of a coil on this conveyor to cause this coil and following coils to ride up upon the plate, the plate being formed with means for selecting a strand of wire leading to the coils on the plate and severing this strand from coils remaining upon the conveyor. It is important to the principles of the present invention, that the coils telescope together as they ride up upon the collecting, accumulating or gathering plate of the present invention and thus can be stored thereon without reducing the conveyor speed, e.g. for a period up to four seconds, so that the collected coils, forming a bundle, can be separated from the prior coils or the succeeding coils or bundles formed therefrom. It may be desirable to remove the bundle of coils laterally whereby the measuring and severing apparatus serves to separate sets of overlapping wire coils from one another.

More specifically, the invention comprises a conveyor or continuously moving transport surface, operating at a rate determined by the rolling speed of the wire-rolling mill and the rate at which a wire-coiling apparatus (see application Ser. No. 196,962) deposits succeeding turns in overlapping relationships upon the transport surface. The collecting station is provided, in accordance with the present principles, with a framework or support straddling the conveyor from above and a collecting plate, as described, which can be tilted downwardly toward the conveyor surface to intercept a leading edge of an overlapping coil of wire and can be tilted upwardly to clear the coils on the conveyor, Preferably, means is provided for tilting the plate downwardly, i.e. toward the conveyor surface, simultaneously with a displacement of the plate in the direction opposite that in which the coils are conveyed on this surface, thereby increasing the relative speed of the coils and the plate to enable the selected coils to ride up on the latter. As the coils ride up upon the plate, they telescope together as already mentioned.

The coil-engaging edge of the plate, according to the invention, is provided with a gate which blocks passage of the wire connecting a coil on the conveyor surface and a coil on the plate into a slot formed in the plate and converging in the direction of movement of the conveyor surface until the gate is swung away by a fluid-responsive means connected to the plate. To this end, the gate, which may be a pickup bar or plate of a wedge-shaped profile with a direction of convergence toward the oncoming coils, may be pivoted along a lateral edge of the plate.

One of the forwardly convergning edges of the slot, into which the connecting wire strand is guided, is preferably provided as a fixed cutting edge which cooperates with a swingable cutting edge below the plate and operated by a second fluid-responsive means.

Preferably, the collecting plate is provided on both sides of the coil-transport path with rollers or wheels engaging rails forming part of the framework or gantry straddling the transport path. Rails may be formed with camming ramps so as, for example, to lift a forward set of rollers relative to a rearward set and thereby tilting the collecting plate. To this end, the forward set of rollers constitute a cam-follower means while the rails themselves form a cam. The guide slot or notch in the collecting plate, which narrows from the leading edge of the apex of the notch at substantially the midpoint thereof, preferably are of wedging relationship as suggested earlier. It has been found to be advantageous to displace the rollers and collectioning plate, which together form a carriage, by a fluid-responsive means, e.g. a piston-and-cylinder arrangement.

According to yet another feature of this invention, the collecting plate is displaceable relative to a stripper, having a pair of rolls flanking the coils and adapted to rest against the plate so that a bar thereon can hold back the collected coils or bundle as the plate is retracted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present amendment will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view, partly in diagrammatic form, of an apparatus for collecting, gathering or accumulating rolled-wire coils according to the present invention and severing the collected coils from a continuous supply thereof;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the conveyor means for the continuous supply of coils being omitted;

FIG. 3 is a detail view, in plan, and in diagrammtic form, of the collecting plate according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line IV IV of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the cooperation of the stripper means and the collecting plate.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION In FIGS. 1 and 2, I show an apparatus for collecting a selected number of coils 6 deposited in overlapping relationship upon a conveyer which is represented diagrammatically at 5. It should be noted that the rolling mill in which the wire is produced substantially continuously, the coil-forming apparatus in which the wire turns are shaped to lie in overlapping relationship, and the conveyer means for the continuous supply of these overlapping coils are conventional as previously described.

The apparatus comprises a frame construction or gantry l, which straddles the conveyor 5 and comprises a pair of posts la on the right-hand side of the conveyer and a pair of posts lb on the left-hand side thereof. A crosspiece 4a extends across the conveyer and, parallel thereto, the framework 1 comprises a pair of rails 3 parallel to cross-piece 4a. The transport direction is represented by the arrows A and proceeds from left to right, the conveyer operation being continuous and uninterrupted by the operation of the present apparatus.

A collecting plate 2, whose basic configuration can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, is secured to a pair of depending arms 2a and 2b on each side of the conveyer, the arms being journaled to respective rollers or wheels 7 and 8. The forwardmost pair of wheels 7, from which the plate 2 is suspended, ride upon the horizontal section 9 of the rails 3 while the rearward pair of rollers or wheels 8 ride upon a horizontal section 9" of 'the rails and are adapted to ride up upon the ramp 9' connecting the higher section 9 with the lower section 9". The sections 9, 9 and 9 thus constitute cams which are followed by the rollers 8. When the rear end of the plate 2 is lifted upwardly through the distance S corresponding to the height of ramp 9', the plate and its arm 2b are tilted in the counterclockwise sense about the fulcrum defined by the axis of wheel 7 to lower the leading edge 20 of the plate 2 as the entire plate assembly is shifted in the direction of arrow B by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 10. In this manner the tilt of the plate 2 can be altered substantially instantaneously.

The cylinder 10 is anchored, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to a further framework 4b, and has a piston 10a connected by a hinge joint 10' to the plate 2. The maximum extension of the piston 10a is shown in FIG. 5.

The leading edge of the plate 2 is also provided, as may best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, with a guide plate 11 which also forms a gate overlying the plate 2 and hinged at the lefthand side thereof by a pivot 13 to this plate. In its configuration represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gate 11 is a bar having a wedge-shaped profile which converges in the rearward direction (arrow B), i.e. in the direction turned toward the oncoming coil 6. A lever 130, connected to the arm 11 via the pin 13, is articulated at 13b to the piston 12a of a cylinder 12 which, in turn, is hinged at 12b to a lateral projection 2d of the plate. Upon extension of the piston 12a, the bar 11 is swung into the dot-dash position shown at FIG. 2 to expose a wedge-shaped cutout, notch or slot in the leading edge of the plate 2 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The wedge-shaped cutout of the plate is defined between a pair of forwardly converging edges 14 and 15 and is so dimensioned that the base of the cutout has a length V equal at least to one half the width W of the plate and the cutout has a length L which can approach one half the length D of the plate. Preferably, the length L of this plate corresponds to one half W. Along the interior of the plate 2 and below the latter, there is provided a swingable blade 16 which eo-operates with a hardened and reinforced cutting edge 15' formed along the edge 15 to sever a wire upon operation of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 17. The latter is articulated at 17a to the underside of plate 2 and has a piston 17b which is pivoted at 16a to the bell-crank lever 16. The latter has a pivot 16b supporting it on the underside of the plate and is formed with the cutting edge 16c co-operating with fixed blade 15'.

As is also apparent from FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a pair of fixed guides 18 within which a bar 19, extending across the conveyer, is springbiased in the downward direction while a pair of rollers 20 support the bar slightly above the plate 2 when the latter is advanced. The assembly 18 20 constitutes a stripper arrangement which is adapted to retain the collected coils upon withdrawal of the plate, as will be apparent hereinafter.

With the apparatus in the starting position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and under the control of some programming means, means responsive to coil weight, or the signal of an operator, the plate 2 is shifted to the left by cylinder to cause the wheels 8 to ride upon ramp 9' and cause the leading edge 20 to tilt downwardly and engage the oncoming coil 6 and ride up upon the gate 4 and the plate 2 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The coils which are gathered on the plate 2 are closed upon one another because of the resistance to forward movement imposed by the plate and hence the number of turns collected is greater than that which would correspond to a similar length of the conveyer 5 and a spacing is produced between sections of coil thereon. As soon as a predetermined number of turns is accumulated on the plate 2, the gate 11 is swung back to expose the cutout defined between the edges 14 and 15. The wire strand 6" between coil 6 upon the plate and coil 6 on the conveyer (FIG. 4) is drawn into the cutout and is severed when the rearmost portion 6" of the first coil reaches the region of the blade arrangement l6, 15'.

During the forward movement of the plate 2 (FIG. 5), the stripper bar 19 rides up upon the plate 2 and engages the leading edges of the coils thereon. Upon withdrawal of the plate 2 (arrow C), the coils are dislodged and deposited upon the plate or are allowed to be withdrawn laterally. There is, of course, no interruption of the conveyer operation. Because of the storage capacity of the plate 2, the operation of the system is independent of the rolling speed.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for collecting wire coils from a conveyer carrying a succession of such coils in overlapping relationship in a transport direction, said apparatus comprising:

support means straddling said conveyer;

a collecting plate carried by said support means and overlying said conveyer;

actuating means for tilting said collecting plate to intercept coils on said conveyer and cause said coils to ride up upon said plate; and

cutting means engageable with a wire strand between coils on said plate and a coil on said conveyer for severing said strand.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said plate is formed with a cutout converging in said direction and opening at an edge of said plate facing oncoming coils on said conveyer, said apparatus further comprising means for selectively blocking and unblocking said cutout, said cutting means engaging said strand only upon entry thereof into said cutout.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said support means comprises a pair of rails extending parallel to said conveyer and said direction, said rails being formed with camming surfaces of different heights, said plate being formed with cam follower rollers engaging said camming surfaces for selective tilting of said plate.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising fluid-responsive means operatively connected to said plate for linearly displacing same along said rails, said cam follower rollers being connected to said plate at one end thereof in said direction, said plate being further provided with other rollers engaging said rails at another end of the plate in said direction.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said means for selectively blocking and unblocking said cutout includes a gate swingably mounted on said plate laterally of said cutout at said edge and forming a guide enabling said coils to ride up on said plate, and means for swinging said gate.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said cutout has a length approximately equal to half the width of said plate and said cutting means is located at the apex of said cutout.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said cutting means includes a cutting edge formed on said plate adjacent said apex, and a further cutting edge swingably mounted on the underside of said plate and cooperating with the cutting edge formed thereon.

'8. The apparatus defined in claim 7, further comprising fluid-responsive means for displacing said swingable cutting edge.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising stripper means engageable with the coils on said plate and retarding same upon retraction of said plate.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said stripper means comprises a bar adapted to extend across said plate and a pair of rollers at opposite ends of said bar, spaced apart approximately by the width of said plate and engageable therewith. 

1. An apparatus for collecting wire coils from a conveyer carrying a succession of such coils in overlapping relationship in a transport direction, said apparatus comprising: support means straddling said conveyer; a collecting plate carried by said support means and overlying said conveyer; actuating means for tilting said collecting plate to intercept coils on said conveyer and cause said coils to ride up upon said plate; and cutting means engageable with a wire strand between coils on said plate and a coil on said conveyer for severing said strand.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said plate is formed with a cutout converging in said direction and opening at an edge of said plate facing oncoming coils on said conveyer, said apparatus further comprising means for selectively blocking and unblocking said cutout, said cutting means engaging said strand only upon entry thereof into said cutout.
 3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said support means comprises a pair of rails extending parallel to said conveyer and said direction, said rails being formed with camming surfaces of different heights, said plate being formed with cam follower rollers engaging said camming surfaces for selective tilting of said plate.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising fluid-responsive means operatively connected to said plate for linearly displacing same along said rails, said cam follower rollers being connected to said plate at one end thereof in said direction, said plate being further provided with other rollers engaging said rails at another end of the plate in said direction.
 5. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said means for selectively blocking and unblocking said cutout includes a gate swingably mounted on said plate laterally of said cutout at said edge and forming a guide enabling said coils to ride up on said plate, and means for swinging said gate.
 6. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said cutout has a length approximately equal to half the width of said plate and said cutting means is located at the apex of said cutout.
 7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said cutting means includes a cutting edge formed on said plate adjacent said apex, and a further cutting edge swingably mounted on the underside of said plate and co-operating with the cutting edge formed thereon.
 8. The apparatus defined in claim 7, further comprising fluid-responsive means for displacing said swingable cutting edge.
 9. The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising stripper means engageable with the coils on said plate and retarding same upon retraction of said plate.
 10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said stripper means comprises a bar adapted to extend across said plate and a pair of rollers at opposite ends of said bar, spaced apart approximately by the width of said plate and engageable therewith. 